I have taken my foster kids on a ton of different outings. Some of the simplest and funniest activities they enjoy are:

1. Going to a school playground or a park just to run, play, climb, swing, slide, and giggle.

The fresh air always seems to be good for the kids, and it helps them to take their minds off the traumas they have suffered in their past, even if only for a few hours. The benefit to the foster parent is that it WEARS THEM OUT, and they sleep better. What parent doesn’t want a child that just crashes into bed and sleeps through the night?

2. Swimming

My children have always loved going swimming. Some are a little fearful of the water, especially when they are toddlers and infants, but with time, patience, and understanding the majority come to love it. If it’s the wrong time of year to take them outdoors to swim, there are numerous hotels and indoor water parks that the kids love to go to as well. Again, this is another activity that helps the kids crash into bed and sleep.

3. A Drive-In

One fun activity I did for my children was to create a drive-in movie atmosphere for them. I took cardboard boxes, decorated them as little cars, gave them a little box of popcorn, a candy, and a drink. Then I put each in their own little car in front of the TV for the evening of watching Jungle Book.

4. Animal Fun

The majority of all children love animals. If you have a local zoo or aquarium, I haven’t met a kid that doesn’t like to visit those.

5. Museums

The children I have had in my care have also loved visiting museums. The little boys especially loved tractors, horses, and cars. The little girls like the dolls and pictures.

6. Reading Time

Most of my children have asked for a bedtime story. I haven’t always had a book to read to them, so I have made up stories tell them, sometimes including the child in the story as a character. I have told the girls stories of how they were princesses living in a castle, and the boys of stories of how they have slayed dragons and rode dinosaurs. They have all loved that as well.

7. Libraries

Local libraries sometimes have story time or puppet plays that they put on for children that are little to no cost that children love as well.

8. Puzzles

Puzzles are another big hit with children. My adopted son has always loved puzzles, and he has gotten good at putting them together all on his own.

9. Coloring

Coloring is another big hit, and it seems to be therapeutic for the children as well. Drawing some of their thoughts out has also been helpful and fun for them.

10. YOUR ATTENTION!!

The biggest thing a foster parent can give to any of their foster children is your TIME. I’ve noticed it doesn’t really seem to matter what I do with them, whether it’s taking them somewhere, playing games at home, playing dinosaurs on the floor, or just curling up to watch a movie. They enjoy it all because what they want most is the time and attention of a parent figure.

The post 10 Fun Things You Can Do With Your Foster Kids appeared first on Foster Parenting | How to Become, Training, Requirements.

Children come into care usually listed as basic care children, which just means that they have mostly your day-to-day care for their age range with minor behavioral issues. Some children come into care as what is known as moderate care. This means that these children need more than routine guidance and supervision to ensure their safety. The highest level of care that requires specialized training by the foster parent is specialized level. This level means caregivers must have specialized training, and the children must be monitored and have care 24 hours a day, every day, to ensure their safety. To learn more about the levels of foster children, their requirements, and what qualifies a child for these levels click here.

It is hard to know in the beginning of a child’s placement what level they truly need to be listed at to get the care and services that they need to improve. If you have a good agency, they can assist you in testing the child as they are in your care to learn what may be best for the child. The Department of Family and Protective Services only places basic care children, so as a foster parent if you’re needing assistance with a child who is above this level, the foster parent will need to seek an agency for assistance.

When fostering, it is best to look at each child individually…

Just because a child is listed at one level does not mean that that level is permanent; it can be upgraded or downgraded if needed. The main aspect a foster parent will want to research if they discover their child is not a basic care child is: what resources are available to treat the child’s needs, how much time will it take away from work if a parent must take time off for appointments, how much support will a parent have from case workers to obtain the treatment needed for the child, and how much travel is required to reach an appointment.

If the foster parent doesn’t have adequate knowledge, resources, and support, taking a child above a basic care level would not be in the best interest of the child nor the parent. When fostering, it is best to look at each child individually, know as much as you can about their history, watch for delays in development, or any behavior that may be out of the ordinary that would likely benefit from therapy.

Of the eight children I have fostered so far, all but two have needed some kind of therapy, whether it be physical, mental and emotional (play therapy), occupational, or speech; all were listed as basic care children. I had one who needed to be moved into moderate care as he was diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder and was extremely aggressive and strong at two and three years old. The Department of Family and Protective Services refused to allow him to be moved to that level, and he was moved to family before I could really get him the therapy he needed. This is why I stress the importance of finding a good agency and having that support to assist the foster parent in getting the most out of therapy for their child who has special needs.

The post How To Know If You Can Foster Parent Children With Special Needs appeared first on Foster Parenting | How to Become, Training, Requirements.